"... a ward that does Home Teaching is a PROSPERING ward..."

'ello 'ello!

Man this week just went past real quick. Nothing special happened, my companion caught the flu on Thursday and on that same day I pulled a muscle on my shoulder so we were both out of action until Sunday. We spent our last P-day with a part member family building that relationship and trust, a really cool family packed full of kids. It reminds me of my house growing up lol kids running, fighting and can't sit still but every time we go over it's always a good time. It's been a pretty kick back week with everyone catching the flu and resting. 

  

 

We taught our first lesson with Se'eta'i our investigator from Manurewa 2nd, I think it went well even with my C+ Samoan lol good thing his partner was there to translate and help a bit. He loved the lesson and was really receptive of our teaching. I like it when he learns something he didn't know and building his knowledge in the Gospel. We haven't been able to catch up with our other investigator Jason from Manurewa 2nd but we will see him this week definitely and hopefully start fellow shipping with him and his family. Our first first investigator Victora is still set for next week so hopefully I don't get transferred out, but she is getting married this Friday and I'm excited for her and Brother Peterson and then her Baptism the week after. The work has been great and although it was a slow week in terms of work progress, we know this week we have our work cut out, there are so many things that we have planned and prepared to do all that's left is to do it.

 

Just want to share an experience while visiting less actives. Our first house we visited last Tuesday, we went to meet Sister Poaru we went to the gate and a big dog started barking and we're just like okay nope we don't do dogs lol. As we were walking away an elderly lady came out and takes the dog away and then opens up the gate for us. We introduce ourselves and when we started talking the first thing she said was "It's been a long time since a Priesthood holder came to see me". At first I didn't think much and we continued talking. She just came back from the doctors and tells us she has cancer and by the way she was talking it seemed like it was recent that she had found out. We continued talking and she was saying how happy she was that we came and we could tell that as well, then as we were saying our goodbyes Sister Poaru starts crying and continues saying how grateful she was to us for visiting her. Me and my Soa's heart just dropped seeing Sister Poaru cry like she did being thankful to have a worthy Priesthood holder just come by and visit her and talk to her, it reminded me of my grandma and then I almost started to cry. We talked with her and comforted her before we left. We were just sad to see that and the reason why I want to share this is to show how important Home Teaching is for us Priesthood holders of the church and I know it's a struggle for us to do because I was the same before I came out, but I know a ward that does their Home Teaching is a prospering ward and the bond and strength of the ward will grow tremendously if us Priesthood holders do our Home Teaching. There are members in your wards who are just like Sister Poaru who need and want a visit from their Home Teachers.

 

So I just want to Invite those Priesthood holders back home who are reading this:

 

To go and do your Home Teaching and if you don't have anyone to visit, see your Elders Quorum and if your companion isn't free, go use the missionaries as I know they will help fulfill your duties as a Priesthood holder.

Thanks again for your emails and being semi interested in my mission life lol.

Love you all and take care.  

Hear from you next week​.

 

Elder Purcell

"without members AND missionaries, the work won't move!"



Yo, how has everyone's week been? It's been a great week, had a couple of slow days but none the less, a great week.

Had my first Zone conference which was a nice change driving down to Hamilton seeing President Cummings and his wife, meeting up with other missionaries and it's good to see family every once in a while. Zone Conference was "meh" I guess, I didn't know what was to be expected but the training they held was a great help for the situation that my companion and I are currently in. Time management and using time effectively was one that stood out and helped us realise how we can better ourselves and the tactics that we're using to fully utilise the Lord's time. Covering two wards makes time management that much more important. The hardest thing for me is I dont want to be focusing more on one ward and then not showing the other that same amount of love and work.

1st cousin from Oklahoma City: Elder Taito

We are currently teaching 2 investigators from the Samoan Ward. Some long as lesson with my broken Samoan but it's a good laugh and they love correcting me lol. One of them - Se'eta'i is really eager to learn more. He's been coming to church for a month now and loves the gospel and the knowledge he has gained since attending church. We've set a date for mid April which is exciting in the sense that there is work out there and that without members and missionaries, it won't move. We will still be teaching him as he prepares to take that next step. We've been visiting Victoria twice a week as we continue to teach her more and help prepare her for her baptism in 2 weeks.  

 

 

 

We've also been teaching temple prep class for one of the brothers in our ward, Brother Matthews who was inactive but is adamant in going to the temple and you can feel he won't let anything stop him on his journey back to the temple. We have so much love and appreciation for Brother Matthews. His love and care that he has shown not only to us but past missionaries even though he was inactive, every Wednesday morning after our class he goes out and does a massive shopping for us for the week which is awesome. We did no tracting this week which isn't great lol but a great change in being able to use our time wisely by visiting those members who need a missionary visit or doing service or even just popping by and saying hello. it's been a great, busy and successful week having more and more families feeding us hehehe which I think shows a bit more trust between us and the members and then me gaining more and more weight but hey 2 years to lose it before coming home hopefully.

Well that's it from me. Love you guys. Take care of yourselves.

(not many photos so just randoms ones)

 



 Elder Purcell.

 

Cultural day was a successful day... "the best part was seeing all the families..."

Hey everyone,

Week 3 done and dusted, not like I'm counting or anything lol but this week has been some what busy - it kinda went by fast. We visited all the members our Bishop asked us to visit as well as did about 30 hrs of door knocking (to no avail again) lol. The Ward Auxiliary leaders have been supportive in the mission work as well as members wanting to come out with us to do our visits. Spent 6 hrs on Wednesday visiting members with the Elders Quorum leader Brother Vimahi. I met so many families and we invited them to the ward conference. We did so much walking and bike riding this week, giving our car a rest I guess lol and the weather here is so random and the sun just burns like crazy, getting darker by the day. It was a good work out though leading up to the big feed on Saturday lol. So many little funny experiences when door knocking. When you hear the parents tell their kids to tell us they're not home or when they see us coming and we see them see us coming lol and they run and hide pretending no ones home and the best one would probably be us knocking and they come walk to the door and see its missionaries and straight walk back to the room without saying anything lol. It's been crackup all the tracting we've done.

Took the MTC exchange out in our area I had Elder Turnier who will be serving in Brisbane, pretty much just went door knocking with him which he liked I guess and then we went to visit one of our referrals we got and he was killing it. We both shared a message about The Restoration of the Gospel and mate Elder Turnier got it on lock, I learned a bit about him, he's from Tahiti and is a convert and loves the church dearly. he's going to serve in my home town like a beast. Best thing is we got a free feed from the MTC lol.

We had ward conference this weekend that past and it turned out a lot better then we hoped it would, as well seeing something pretty new. On Saturday we had our cultural day. Started off with games and activities for everyone and then moved on to the main even. Everyone setting up their stalls full of food representing their country, all dressed in clothing and outfits as well. It was great to see all the members participating and going all out. The groups then performed their items starting off with Polynesia, Asia then Italy. Then time to eat, I wanted to try a bit from each country but I straight gunned it for the Island table cause it's been a long time since I had some good Island food plus some legend of a guy rocks up with 2 eski's full of Kina and Abalone fresh from the morning dive like damn mah man. My companion and I made some nice as burritos for our group and they got demolished which was good to see and then I got full from the Island food and wanted to go sleep lol. The last 2 groups India and Mexico went next with there performances and then ended the day. It was a successful day with great food, entertainment and company, there were quite a few non members who were visiting that we got to talk to and get to know, but the best part was seeing all the families that we visited during the week and invited coming to the ward conference and enjoying themselves. A lot of the members were happy to see faces they haven't seen in a long time.

 

 

 

We got home and realised of fridge finally had some food as well as our pantry lol cause it's been empty for a long time. Struggle is real as a missionary lol going from making bank every week to making peanuts every fortnight is a laugh lol, but this life is a minimalist life and you come to realise the importance to life and living. I already knew but it's great to have the experience and knowledge of such things, forever grateful for being where I am right now.

Then it was Sunday - it was something else. Our bishop, Bishop Samuel got released after a faithful 5 year service and we got a new Bishop with a new 1st counselor. So a lot of changes has happened with the Bishopric but same as usual, we talk with the new Bishop and we can see he has committed and dedicated his time already and is ready to guide this ward and do the work. He invited us over for dinner and had a mean BBQ and good talks. We're teaching 4 people right now and the lessons are going swell I hope lol they're really receptive with the lessons and enjoy it along with our company and the fellowship from the members. I'm loving my time here in Alfriston Ward and hoping I stay for at least another 2 transfers.

Well that's it for me - short, sharp and sweet. Miss home but love being here!

Love you all and look after yourselves ok yea.

Love to here from you guys later!

 

Elder Purcell

 

"Jesus take the wheel"... yep I'm now in the Samoan program.

Hey everyone!

Another week has gone and mate it went by quick. So many things happening with so much information to absorb, but all in all it's been a great week. Had my first district meeting and it was fun and awesome to meet and get to know the other missionaries within the district. Did a bit of door knocks around our area, straight up a waste of time lol nah just a bit of bad luck I guess maybe the next set will be some what successful. We visited the members which was awesome, just going off the ward list and seeing everyone and building the trust and relationship as well as getting them dinner appointments hehehe.

 

So we've been teaching lessons to a sister who has been attending the ward but not a member, and honestly it's a great feeling to be sharing the gospel to people and getting them to understand for themselves that it is true and the blessings that this gospel has to offer is second to none and Heavenly Father is just waiting to bestow each blessing upon us. When she understands more and more and learns more of the gospel to come unto Christ and live his teachings and later on seeing her life being blessed is one of the reasons why missionary work is important. Her partner is a member and Brother Peterson is straight crackup always cracking jokes and trolling us but little does he know lol nah we just have a good time with good company. We have a set date for her which is exciting, can't stop smiling 😁 nothing but love for their family.

 

We've been doing a lot of practices for the ward conference Cultural day which is this Saturday. We've been put in the Mexican group and ahh I just can't wait for the food aye lol, but it's a good opportunity to visit the less actives of the wards during the week - share a message and invite them to the ward conference, cause let's be honest now who doesn't love a free feed and show. So it's going to be a busy week this week, especially tomorrow we have been assigned to do MTC splits with the current MTC intake. Taking them out and showing them pretty much a day as a missionary, because you know how I've been on the mission field for ages (not even 2 weeks) lol i don't know what they're going to learn from me but it's one of those 'Jesus take the wheel' moments I guess, all i know is it's going to be a funny day.

Yesterday we we're assigned to cover for the Manurera 2nd ward (Samoan ward😐)  which means yep I'm now in the Samoan Program. So I have to brush up on me Samoan because I can speak it so fluently lol I can barely pronounce the words right. I hope the gift of tongues is with me, we have an investigator to teach who doesn't speak English so it's all on me and the holy spirit of course to teach him in Samoan. Challenge after challenge, everything is new to me but I wouldn't have it any other way, we can't progress in life and gain experience if we don't face certain types of challenges that will test us and push us.

Well that's all from me. I know it's not much but meh this took me 40 mins to write lol. Hope to hear from more of you people.

Love you guys.

 

Elder Purcell